Leonel 'N', better known by his alias "El Gordo de Zempoala", which translates to "The Fat Man of Zempoala" was identified as the main man behind ongoing violence in the Laja-Bajío region - and as a high-ranking member of the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel (CSRL).
Leonel “N”, who would recruit foreign hitmen from Colombia and Central America, is also accused of a serious assualt that took place on December 16, 2024, when an armed group attacked members of the State Public Security Forces (FSPE) in Uriangato.
According to investigations, "El Gordo de Zempoala" was one of the trusted men of José Antonio Yépez Ortiz, alias "El Marro", founder of the CSRL and currently held in the maximum security prison of Altiplano.
His arrest, flagged as a priority for authorities, was carried out as part of a joint operation between the Querétaro Prosecutor's Office, the State Public Security Forces (FSPE) and the Secretariat of Security and Peace of Guanajuato.
After his arrest in August 2020, Leonel “N” assumed leadership in the southern area of Guanajuato, extending his influence over a number of other municipalities, including Celaya, Apaseo el Alto, Apaseo el Grande and Yuriria.
